Chapter 60 – GOY 60
#60
“Did you bring your weapon?”
“Yes.”
After some thought, I pulled out a basic pistol. I didn’t want to draw unnecessary attention by bringing out the Pistol of Horaitron.
The teaching assistant glanced at my pistol and checked a box on the list. Even if it was just a formality, I wondered if he really had to be that careless.
I was worried, but it seemed the assistant had nothing on his mind but clocking out, even though he had only just arrived.
As I was about to put the pistol back into the briefcase embossed with a small Esper Academy emblem, Aaron drifted casually toward me.
He held a pistol in his hand; its overall design, material, and finish were incredibly luxurious.
It was rare to see such a magnificent weapon. Of course, it couldn’t compare to the Pistol of Horaitron.
“A basic pistol. Your weaponry is quite meager. [unauthorized copy]Shouldn’t an S-Class Guide carry at least an A-Class weapon?”
A-Class weapons are exorbitantly expensive—more expensive than my own house.
Of course, there were many places that offered to provide high-end equipment. However, those offers always came with the condition that I sign a contract with them. Occasionally, there were places that claimed to give them unconditionally, but where in the world is there such a thing as a free lunch?
There is no such thing as kindness without a reason in this world; it always comes back as a debt.
Besides, I was a Guide. I wasn’t an Esper who had to face monsters, so there was no need to take on such a burden just to receive an expensive weapon.
“That’s….”
“Seeing as you brought such a pathetic weapon, I assume you have no intention of entering the gate at all?”
Aaron cut me off, snapping sharply.
“Yes, I don’t.”
The Esper Academy’s gate raids prioritize the safety of the students. Not only me, but other Guides also do not enter the gate unless there is a special reason.
This was only natural. The reporters who specialize in covering Ability Users surely knew this fact. Despite that, the atmosphere sank as if cold water had been poured over it.
It was likely because of the comment Professor Oh had made earlier.
“Ah, I guess those rumors were true.”
Aaron wore a meaningful smile.
“What rumors?”
“That you can’t enter a gate because of trauma from the incident two years ago.”
“…….”
As soon as the events of two years ago were mentioned, the surrounding reporters began to stir.
“Two years ago? That’s the one, right? The Horaitron Gate.”
“Park Geon-woo saved Lee Yeon-soo when he almost died.”
“Poor Park Geon-woo. He risked his life to save him, only for him to dump him so quickly….”
“Shh.”
It’s too late to be quiet; everyone already heard you….
I wondered what Aaron and Professor Oh had plotted together, and it turns out this was the setup. He intended to attack my weakness while simultaneously dragging Park Geon-woo into it.
If he wants to date Joo Seung-hyuk, he should try to look good to him; I have no idea why he keeps attacking me.
‘I’m not your enemy! Stop swinging wildly and just focus on Joo Seung-hyuk! Only if you and Joo Seung-hyuk work out can I escape from that Obsessive Madman!’
As I suppressed the urge to scream, Ji-hee noona quickly approached and defended me.
“Guide Aaron, stop spreading false rumors.”
“They aren’t false rumors; they’re facts.”
Aaron winked at me.
“If they really are false rumors, you could just participate in the gate subjugation. Right?”
“…….”
I bit my lower lip.
Professor Oh was standing a step away unauthorized copyfrom the crowd of reporters. He gazed at me with a relaxed look, as if he had known things would turn out this way.
This must have all been his doing. No matter how well-connected Aaron was, he wouldn’t have known the specific type of gun I carried or the fact that I hadn’t entered a gate since the incident two years ago.
However, Professor Oh had one thing wrong.
It was true that I was shocked by the Horaitron Gate incident. It was also true that the aftermath still lingered. But it wasn’t that I couldn’t enter a gate.
Of course, I hadn’t entered one since then. But that wasn’t because of trauma or fear.
Two years ago, I entered a gate that was on the verge of a Break.
I knew it was dangerous, but my desire to do something, to be helpful, overrode my rational judgment. And the result was catastrophic.
I almost died, and Park Geon-woo was injured.
Not only that, a Gate Break could have occurred in the middle of Seoul.
After that incident, I made a decision.
‘I will not enter a gate unless it is absolutely necessary. Making a mistake by letting enthusiasm lead the way once was enough.’
And today was absolutely not a situation where I needed to enter the gate.
Participating in today’s subjugation were S-Class Joo Seung-hyuk, six A-Class Espers, and thirteen B-Class Espers. This level of force could easily clear not just a B-Class, but even an A-Class gate.
If I, a Guide, joined in, I would only be in the way. But in the current situation, saying that would only be dismissed as the selfish excuse of a Guide who doesn’t want to do dangerous work.
‘What should I do? Should I just say I’ll participate?’
The resolution from two years ago wasn’t the only problem.
If I, an S-Class, declared my participation, other Guides would be forced to follow into the gate to avoid looking bad. Then the Espers would have to protect us.
That would make a raid that could be finished simply several times more complicated. I would be a nuisance to everyone. I couldn’t do that.
“Why? Are you scared now that it’s time to go in? Then just stay in a safe place and rest comfortably. I’ll just go in alone.”
As I hesitated to answer, Aaron wore a confident smile. At that, the reporters fired off questions as if they had been waiting.
“Oh! Is Guide Aaron participating?”
“Yes. I’m different from a certain someone.”
Is he planning to enter the gate alone to provide Guiding [visit our site]to Joo Seung-hyuk? It seems he looked down on me from the start for this purpose.
To cause such a fuss just to guide Joo Seung-hyuk. It was so absurd that a hollow laugh escaped me. But Aaron continued the interview, indifferent.
“I can sufficiently protect the Espers on my own.”
“Who exactly thinks they are protecting whom?”
A chilling voice rang out. As Joo Seung-hyuk approached, the reporters stepped back, making a path for him.
Joo Seung-hyuk was scary enough just standing still, but with that longsword in his hand, he felt a hundred times more intimidating.
Walking through the crowd, Joo Seung-hyuk came straight to me.
“Hyung, what is this?”
Joo Seung-hyuk looked at the gun in my hand.
“Huh?”
“What happened to the one I gave you? Why are you using this?”
“Ah, that’s… it’s precious. I wanted to take good care of it.”
“You are more precious. Use it comfortably.”
“Mm-hmm….”
Left with no choice, I took the Pistol of Horaitron out of the briefcase. In that instant, gasps of admiration erupted from everywhere. Not only the reporters, but other Guides and Aaron’s eyes widened.
Even Aaron, who was called royalty, likely hadn’t encountered an S-Class treasure so easily.
“Guide Lee Yeon-soo, that doesn’t look like an ordinary weapon. Is that the S-Class treasure, the Pistol of Horaitron, rumored to have appeared in the recent special auction?”
A reporter asked cautiously. Seeing how he immediately discerned the difference between a high-rank weapon and a treasure, he had a keen eye.
“Ah, yes… that’s correct.”
Since it was hard to deny, I nodded, and the surroundings became noisy.
“An S-Class treasure? That’s security-grade!”
“Horaitron? The one from two years ago?”
“Wow, isn’t that damn expensive? Joo Seung-hyuk is insane.”
“Did Esper Joo Seung-hyuk give it as a gift?”
Amidst the chatter of reporters, questions directed at us, and the gossip of Guides, Aaron picked a fight.
“Does the weapon even matter? It’s useless if you don’t use it in actual combat.”
No, you were the one who brought up weapon grades first! His speed of changing tactics was faster than light.
“To blindly accept a precious treasure while having no intention of entering the gate. I wonder if you even have a brain.”
“Guide Aaron…!”
“Is your head just for decoration?”
Just as I was about to protest Aaron’s rudeness, Joo Seung-hyuk spat out coldly.
I was startled. Of course, I had similar thoughts to Joo Seung-hyuk, but it wasn’t something to say in front of reporters.
“Esper Joo Seung-hyuk….”
The reporters were shocked and Aaron looked stunned, but Joo Seung-hyuk didn’t care.
“Or do I look like a joke to you? Do I look like some idiot who can’t even clear a B-Class gate and would drag my Guide into one?”
Bloodlust shimmered around Joo Seung-hyuk. Even though he was just staring, Aaron’s face turned pale.
I hurriedly grabbed Joo Seung-hyuk’s hand.
“Seung-hyuk-ah….”
“Hyung, why are you listening to this bastard’s bullshit. You’re too kind for your own good.”
Since I had nothing to say in response, I gave an awkward smile.
“Esper Joo Seung-hyuk is correct. The Espers alone are sufficient for this raid. I ask that the esteemed students who are Guides please wait in the guiding area.”
At that moment, Seon-woo sunbae approached and made a polite request. Once the S-Class Esper Joo Seung-hyuk and the highest-senior A-Class Moon Seon-woo spoke, the situation finally seemed to settle.
Just as we were about to begin the gate subjugation, a reporter asked a question.
“Esper Moon Seon-woo, what do you think about the claim that Guides who do not participate in gate raids are selfish?”
“That is….”
Moon Seon-woo glanced at Professor Oh. He knew it was nonsense, but it was difficult to contradict a professor directly to his face.
While Moon Seon-woo was hesitating, Joo Seung-hyuk spoke in a harsh tone.
“Who is talking such bullshit? You must have heard some moron with zero field experience pretending to be an expert.”
Professor Oh lacked field experience. It was said that because the quality of his mana was poor compared to his rank and his guiding skills were lacking, he had changed his career path to Guide management at a young age.
As Joo Seung-hyuk targeted Professor Oh, the man’s face distorted miserably. He spent his days attacking others, so he apparently couldn’t manage his expression when he was the one being attacked.
However, Joo Seung-hyuk didn’t even spare a glance for Professor Oh. He looked at the reporter who asked the question with cold eyes.
“Reporter Choi Young-hwan of the Koryo Daily.”
“Yes?”
“Be careful. How can you be a reporter and be swayed by such bullshit? You’ll be an easy target for scams.”
Coldness dripped from every word Joo Seung-hyuk spoke. Even the other reporters nearby were intimidated by that chill and couldn’t say a word.
After taking in the faces [unauthorized copy][visit our site]of the reporters one by one, Joo [unauthorized copy]Seung-hyuk turned around and looked at me.
The coldness had vanished in an instant.
“Hyung, I’ll be back.”
“Yeah. Be careful.”
Joo Seung-hyuk took my hand and whispered softly in my ear.
“I’ll earn 20 points, so just rest comfortably.”
“…Okay.”
We were 10 minutes late at the rest area and each received 10 penalty points. If Joo Seung-hyuk performed well in the gate raid and received bonus points, I, as his assigned Guide, could also receive extra points.
“Don’t overdo it.”
“Don’t worry.”
He smiled gently and walked into the gate.
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